As early as September 10, the Community Advisory Committees will start voting in favor or against the casinos. It is crucial our elected officials hear your voice directly. We have reviewed both casinos’ traffic analyses, (Avenir and Caesars) and it is pretty clear that the Casinos will win and the community will lose.
Both casinos have chosen locations in extremely dense and congested areas. The current street infrastructure can barely accommodate current pedestrian and car traffic. Adding large venues in those areas will create further conflicts, delays, and safety risks that cannot be mitigated. The local residents will carry the brunt of such deterioration. We urge you to vote against both casinos.
We sent letters to our elected officials to share our analysis . Please call them or email them
Conflict with the Lincoln Tunnel entrance
Near the Lincoln Tunnel’s W 40th Street entrance, on West 41st Street and 11th Avenue, lies the entry/exit road to the Avenir casino. Every day, in the afternoon and evening, this entrance is extremely congested. From 40th Street to 47th Street, 11th Avenue usually has three lanes of compact traffic that obstruct all intersections. Eastbound and westbound lanes of traffic heading toward the Lincoln Tunnel also converge at 42nd Street. Pedestrians find it extremely challenging to cross the street. Many vehicles honk due to the heavy traffic, which lowers the standard of living for the thousands of people who live in River Place, Atelier, and other huge buildings.
There are three lanes full of cars waiting to enter the tunnel, and cars, taxis, and buses attempting to get to the hotel and casino will have to cross in and out of them. Accessing the casino could take up to fifteen minutes.
If the signal timing on 11th Avenue is changed to assist the casino access, the car queues currently extending to 47th Street will likely be extended to 55th Street, causing significant congestion on these blocks. The increase in delays will cause drivers to use the 11th Avenue bike lane, thus endangering bikers.
In addition the Avenir has no plans for charter bus drop off and layovers.
Caesar’s chief strategy to mitigate the additional taxis and for-hire vehicles destined for the casino at Times Square’s bowtie is to push them westward onto Eighth Avenue and into Hell’s Kitchen. This will adversely affect the lives of neighborhood residents.
Obstructing Bus Lanes
Directing taxi and for-hire vehicle drop-offs onto Eighth Avenue is doubly problematic because this curb activity will be enticed to the east side of the avenue—precisely where a bus-only lane serves the M20, M104, and at 43rd Street, the M34A Select Bus Service. This will negatively affect thousands of bus commuters who use these lines to reach their homes and work far away from Times Square.
Failure to Accommodate Additional Pedestrian Volumes
Two sidewalks and four crosswalks are severely negatively impacted and cannot be mitigated. There is no proposed sidewalk widening on West 44th Street to accommodate the relocated 1,700-seat Minskoff Theater, one of the largest on Broadway. These crowds will overflow into the roadway, creating new conflicts.
In addition Caesars Casino has no plans for charter bus drop off and layovers.